Remember those shoulder-mounted VHS camcorders dad used to haul out at soccer games once a year, “for posterity”? Shrink it down to 1/20th the size, 1/10th the cost, and make it run for a couple hours on a pair of AAs, and you’d have the Flip Video.

When technology works, it’s a wonderful thing.

This critter packs a built-in flip-out USB port for downloading 640×480 MPEG4 at 30 frames-per-second (geek-speak for “pretty decent quality”) to your PC or Mac, a small LCD to review what you’ve recorded, a cable to watch videos on your TV in seconds, and a friendly user interface that requires no manual. (Really, truly!)

Cinema-quality video it is not, but surprisingly clear and bright for its size and cost, it is. We’ve been having a blast using this guy this past week!

We think the Flip Video is perfect for anyone who wants to capture video without hassle, or a rugged camera for little hands.

The Flip Video Digital Video Camera
Currently $103 for 30 min, $125 for 60 min on Amazon

p.s. Batteries included!

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